Lately
How does a one hour time difference effect us so much?
-Today I made Jackie's olive oil honey bread. I doubled the recipe to make two loaves, one rose and one did not. How did that happen? Also I have been using pyrex pans and they are very annoying. No matter how much greese I put on them the bread sticks. I am expecting a pampered chef stone pan this week. Thank goodness, I need all the help I can get.
-Tomorrow is Halloween. Our family hasn't yet determined on a particular stance on Halloween. The best part about it for me is passing out candy and scripture verses to trick-or-treaters. I remember our IV days when we were always trying to come up with a way to reach people with the gospel, well there is no other day of the year when children come to your home asking for something. I type up 10 or so verses and print off alot of copies on the computer. Then I cut them into strips and roll them up and fasten them with a sticker. I heard a little girl leave my porch last year exclaiming, "look mommy, I got a secret message!" I hope that message will change her life. This is a good way to involve our kids in meeting the culture where it is at. Let them hand out the candy. Also Josh adds, if you are going to give out scripture be sure to give good candy.
-I am very excited about a large rummage sale this week. I got a babysitter and am attending with NO CHILDREN!!!! How lovely to peruse the piles of thigs without hearing a cry or complaint, without saying,"don't touch that!," "We look with our eyes," "I'll buy everyone a cookie if you will be so good for mommy." It will be wonderful.
Back Again
Sometimes it is very difficult to find time for this.
Items:
I continue in my quest to make my own wheat bread and have it rise properly. Josh regularly scolds the bread, the loaf pans and the yeast for his flat bread- but never me.
I am feeling frustrated with people who ask for advice, listen and agree with advice and then do whatever they want anyway.
What is the best way to preserve pears? Pear Butter? Or spiced pears?
Emma informed me today as she was watching Cinderella that she intends to put on her skirt, tutu, necklace and shoes, go to the ball and dance with her daddy. When I replied, "oh, your daddy will be the handsome prince," she said- "no, daddy not a prince he's a man!"
Emma grows increasingly like Josh, she is extremely animated when she tells a story. The other day when she was explaining how she had gotten a spanking she actually spanked herself for effect and said "see, like that!"
incidentally- does anyone else find the text messaging spelling starting to permeate their brains to the detriment of the English language. I find myself wanting to type things such as "c u later," and "2day wuz cool." Jane Austin would roll over in her grave.
Tuesday (but really Monday)
Today feels like Monday to me because my parents left yesterday and Josh took a half day so it was still like weekend. Mom and Chuck came for the weekend and we all took the kids to a farm. Emma loved petting the goats and Josiah chased a cat around. There were two lambs also which were so cute. On Sunday Josh and I DJed a Messianic Jewish wedding. It was beautiful and a very interesting cultural experience. They did the chair dance and a bunch of circle dances. I love seeing other cultures in action, but this was particularly interesting because it is our spiritual heritage as well. There was a lot of "old-testamenty" things. It was very cool. Also everyone called Jesus Yeshua. At dinner Josh and I sat at a table of fabulous young people. They were college aged and I was amazed at their social skills. I don't mean to be snotty or anything, but it does seem more and more rare to find young people with good social skills. (What I mean by good social skills: make conversation with the people around you even if you've never met them. Start by introducing yourself, firm hand shake, eye contact. Don't make the whole conversation about you. Ask questions, find common interests and discuss them. Show interest in what the other person is saying. Include those around you, don't talk only to one person.) Those young people were amazing and I enjoyed myself so much with them. As Josh and I arrived last we weren't sitting together which would normally make me feel funny since I didn't know anyone else, but they put me right at ease and we all had a great time. What a difference manners can make in people's lives. It is so much easier for those who are naturally shy to be in company if we have manners and social skills to fall back on.
Food
Ramen noodles are cheap, fast and yum, but also salty, fatty starch. Therefore when I make them for the kids and I, I make two packages of noodles but put only one seasoning packet in. Also I always add vegetables to them while cooking (broccoli or spinach are our favorites) that way they are a little healthier.
This week I made my first spaggetti squash of the season and Emma thought it was Ramen, so now I have a healthy alternative. A little butter and a shake of cheese and she is excited to be eating "noodles."
In order to save money and time I have decided that Wednesday will be soup night at our house. I will probably try 56 soups over the course of this year since Josh isn't a big soup fan, but I like soup and it is easy and cheap. Last night we had this one, it's really good.
Battle of Lexington Soup
Boil 3 chicken thighs (or equivalent in other peices of chicken) in 6 cups water until cooked through.
Remove chicken from pot and add 1 skinned and quarterd butternut squash
Remove bones and skin from chicken and chop meat
When squash is soft mash it in pot
Add chicken chunks
Chop one onion and saute in 1 tablespoon butter until tender, add to soup
Add salt and pepper to taste and 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Add two cups milk (no less fat than 2% I would say, I used whole) Heat through, do not boil
So all you need is chicken, 1 butternut squash, 1 onion,1 TBSP butter, water, two cups milk, water, salt, pepper and nutmeg
Speaking of Ramen makes me think of Jackie and I sitting round our hot pot eating Ramen and cheddar cheese in college. Oh, if only my metabolism were still at that rate! Remember Draime girls- now that we are approaching thirty even reduced fat Ben and Jerry's isn't fat free- even if we can balance it on our heads!
Monday
Monday is house cleaning day here. I feel that I have washed every article of clothing we own. I was forced to use the dryer more that I wanted though because Josh took half of my clothes pins to form the head of a new drum he's making while it dries. Only wives of percussionists can expect to come home and find animal skins floating in the bath tub. He has to soak them first to get them to the proper shape for the drum head. Anyway, the upstairs is especially clean, though we still have more mudding and sanding to do in the hall and soon to be bathroom so it won't be clean for long. That's OK, I like cleaning. You know you're a mom when you think how nice it would be to be alone in the house and clean it and then just enjoy it's cleanness.
